Certified Payroll Resources

Practical guides on Davis-Bacon compliance, WH-347 certified payroll reporting, California eCPR XML export, AASHTOWare-compatible state DOT payroll files, and federal contracting — written for contractors in the field.

• 7 Days Left: The Old WH-347 Will Be Rejected Starting October 1

  October 1 is one week away. After that date, contracting agencies are required to reject any certified payroll submitted on the old WH-347 form. Here's what to do right now if you're mid-project, how to verify you're covered, and why WH347.io users don't need to do anything.

• New WH-347 FAQ: Your Questions Answered (2 Weeks Left)

  Two weeks until the old WH-347 is rejected. These are the questions federal contractors are actually asking right now — from whether you can finish a project on the old form to what to do if your software hasn't updated.

• Your WH-347 Transition Checklist — 3 Weeks to Go

  Three weeks until the old WH-347 is retired. Here's a numbered action checklist — confirm your software version, notify your subs, verify pending submissions, and archive what you've already filed — so you hit October 1 with nothing left to do.

• How to Tell If You're Using the New WH-347 Form (4 Weeks Left)

  September 30 is four weeks away. The new and old WH-347 forms look almost identical — but three specific markers tell you which version you're on. Here's exactly where to look and what you'll see.

• What Happens If You Submit the Old WH-347 After September 30?

  Five weeks until the deadline. After September 30, contracting agencies must reject any WH-347 submitted on the old form. Here's exactly what rejection means for your project — delayed payments, compliance flags, and how to recover if it happens to you.

• 6 Weeks Until the Old WH-347 Is Rejected: Are You Ready?

  September 30, 2026 is six weeks away. After that date, contracting agencies must reject any WH-347 submitted on the old form. Here's a three-question readiness check — and what to do if you're not there yet.

• Certified Payroll When Workers Switch Trades Mid-Week

  Workers who change classifications mid-week, projects with multiple wage determinations, and crews that shift composition week to week all create WH-347 headaches. Here's how to keep your certified payroll clean when the job doesn't fit neatly into one column.

• How Owner-Operators Report Themselves on the WH-347

  Ownership alone does not exempt construction labor from Davis-Bacon. Learn the business-owner management test, the narrow truck owner-operator policy, and what to confirm before preparing certified payroll.

• Texas Prevailing Wage and Certified Payroll: A Contractor's Guide

  Texas Chapter 2258 governs covered state and local public works wages. Federal Davis-Bacon requirements may apply as well. Check both sets of contract obligations, including the project's payroll records and submission process.

• Certified Payroll Record Retention: How Long to Keep Your Records

  Keep federal DBRA records during the work and for at least three years after all prime-contract work ends. Learn what to preserve, who has agency access, and how to check longer state, grant, contract, or preservation obligations.

• QuickBooks and Certified Payroll: What QB Does and Doesn't Handle

  QuickBooks certified-payroll features depend on the edition and payroll subscription. Compare Desktop's Excel workflow, Online Payroll Premium/Elite reporting, and an optional paystub-import workflow with WH347.io.

• Certified Payroll Fringe Benefits: Cash vs. Bona Fide Plan

  The prevailing wage includes a basic hourly rate and a fringe benefit rate. Report plan credits and cash in lieu separately in Columns 6B and 6C, and reconcile cash payments to gross earnings.

• How to Correct a WH-347 After It's Been Submitted

  Mistakes on a submitted WH-347 don't have to become compliance problems — if you handle them correctly. Here's how to make corrections on paper forms and software, when to notify the contracting agency, and the errors most likely to require a formal correction.

• What Is a Certified Payroll Report?

  If you've just won your first federal construction contract, you'll hear the term 'certified payroll' a lot. Here's exactly what it is, who has to file it, what it contains, and what happens if you get it wrong.

• Paystub Import for Certified Payroll

  If your workers are on ADP, Gusto, QuickBooks, or any other payroll system, that data already exists on a paystub. WH347.io can read the paystub and pre-fill your timecard automatically — here's how it works.

• New WH-347 Form: September 30, 2026 Deadline

  The old WH-347 certified payroll form expires September 30, 2026. Starting October 1, agencies must reject it. Here's what changed, why it matters, and how to make the switch before the deadline.

• California eCPR XML Export: Contractor's Guide

  California requires all contractors on public works projects to submit certified payroll electronically through the DIR's eCPR system. Here's what the requirements look like and how WH347.io generates a ready-to-upload XML file.

• How to Fill Out the WH-347 Form: 2026 Instructions

  A field-by-field guide to using the optional WH-347 form to present required weekly payroll information on covered federal construction contracts.

• Davis-Bacon Act Explained for Federal Contractors

  The Davis-Bacon Act has governed federal construction wages since 1931. Here's what prevailing wage requirements actually mean for your business and how to stay compliant.

• Why Spreadsheets Fail for Certified Payroll

  Spreadsheets seem like a natural fit for tracking payroll — until a DOL audit reveals a data-entry error from three months ago. Here's why purpose-built software makes more sense for certified payroll.

• 2026 Davis-Bacon Compliance: Documented Duties and Remedies

  Review documented Davis-Bacon obligations in 2026: correct classifications, fringe benefits, subcontractor payrolls, and weekly checks. Learn the actual remedies without assuming a universal fine or new enforcement trend.

• Certified vs. Regular Payroll: 5 Key Differences

  Stepping into federal work for the first time? Here are the five key differences between regular and certified payroll — and why confusing them can cost you a progress payment.

• Subcontractor Certified Payroll: Who's Responsible

  Subcontractors on federal projects are just as responsible for Davis-Bacon compliance as general contractors — but many don't realize it until they're audited. Here's what every sub needs to know.

• What Happens During a Davis-Bacon Audit

  Prepare for a Davis-Bacon records request with payroll, time, classification, fringe, and subcontractor evidence. Understand access duties and potential remedies without assuming an audit timetable or outcome.

• AASHTOWare Certified Payroll XML: State DOT Guide

  For contracts whose agencies use AASHTOWare Project, confirm the accepted schema, identifiers, and submission method before uploading payroll. Learn the XML workflow and how to review a WH347.io export.

• WH-347 Fillable Form & Template: Official Download

  Get the official current WH-347 fillable form, verify its OMB number and expiration date, and compare the PDF template with online certified payroll workflows.

• WH-347 Common Mistakes — And How to Correct Them

  Most WH-347 errors aren't intentional — they're the result of misunderstanding the form, copying the wrong column, or not knowing a rule. Here are the 8 mistakes auditors see most often and exactly how to fix each one.

• WH-347 Statement of Compliance: Who Can Sign

  The Statement of Compliance on page 2 of the WH-347 is a legal document — not a formality. Here's who is authorized to sign it, what each checkbox actually means, and what happens if you sign something that turns out to be inaccurate.

• WH-347 Excel Template: Free vs. Software in 2026

  A WH-347 Excel template seems like the obvious solution — free, familiar, no new software to learn. Here's an honest look at what a template can and can't do, and when it starts costing you more than it saves.

• How to Report Apprentices on the WH-347 Form

  Apprentices are covered under Davis-Bacon but reported differently than journey-level workers. Here's who qualifies, what documentation is required, how to fill in each column, and what the 2025 form changes added to the apprentice section.

• WH-347 No Work Week: Certified Payroll with No Hours

  A week with no work on your federal project still requires a decision — submit a no-work report, or skip it? The answer depends on your contract, and getting it wrong can hold up payments. Here's exactly what to do.

• Prevailing Wage Certified Payroll: Contractor Guide

  Prevailing wage certified payroll is the system that keeps federal construction contracts honest. Here's exactly how prevailing wages work, how to report them on the WH-347, and what happens if you get it wrong.